In the press: Velvet Magazine
We were delighted to receive an invitation from Velvet Magazine's Editor, Alice Ryan, for a Q&A in the magazine's Interiors feature, 'Dopamine Decor', which brought together three local creatives bringing colour, pattern and personality into living spaces.
Our part of the feature is below.
The feature first appeared in Velvet Magazine. Words by Alice Ryan.
Formative years
We met as students and had the best time. Working on projects together, we found we could push each other beyond what we thought we were capable of; those were magical moments. We then started our design studio, Minx Creative, in 1997 — we were 25, full of energy and ambition. After about 10 years, we began talking about future goals, one of which was creating a separate, product-based venture where we could design and manufacture sustainably. It was during lockdown in 2020 that we found the headspace to fully bring it to life.
Opening title
The name came when we all sat down in the studio to build out the brand. We worked through a long list and settled on Storigraphic because it captured the vision perfectly, and could work flexibly across future branded ranges, e.g. Storihome, which we launched in 2022, and, in progress, Storikids.
Old meets new
We celebrate the beauty and innovation of heritage design through our modern lens, infusing collections with colour, pattern and narrative. We strive for a timeless quality — there's always a feeling attached to our design style, sometimes nostalgic, but mostly a sense of connection. There's intention to how we approach design and where it can sit in everyday life.
Source of inspiration
We both love mid-century modern, architecture, fashion and graphic design — that's almost a given. But we're equally inspired by nature, art history, culture and everyday experiences. All of that, combined with 30 years of design practice, makes for a constantly percolating pot of ideas.
Shaping a space
Living with considered design changes how a space feels day to day. There's something quietly significant about surrounding yourself with objects that have been made thoughtfully — the right print on a tray you use every morning, a lampshade that casts the room in a certain light. It doesn't need to be grand or deliberate. It's about the small, repeated moments of noticing something singular and beautiful.
Telling stories
Every collection begins with a story — that's our self-initiated brief. We then translate that narrative into six finished prints. The creative work is always shared throughout: from initial sketches to colour selection, development and final artwork. It's collaborative at every stage.
Designs for life
Design and sustainable manufacturing carry equal weight in every decision we make. We deliberately keep the production process straightforward; overcomplicating it can start to dictate the finish and format of a product, and we don't want constraints imposed that way. Everything made by us is manufactured in the UK. That does mean we're limited on certain items and margins are affected, but it's worth every effort, both to maintain that integrity and, hopefully, to play a small part in shifting how retail thinks about manufacturing.
Sense of purpose
It's rewarding on so many levels. We work to our own creative briefs, invest in manufacturing that carries real purpose, and meet incredible people along the way. Our customers give us so much — their support is validating and we don't take a moment of it for granted. When it comes down to it, we're two best friends building a second business and still loving what we do. That's the bonus reward.
